{"id":122847,"date":"2026-02-10T10:14:31","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T09:14:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bioecoactual.com\/?p=122847"},"modified":"2026-02-10T10:14:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T09:14:31","slug":"marketing-of-agroecology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bioecoactual.com\/en\/2026\/02\/10\/marketing-of-agroecology\/","title":{"rendered":"Marketing of agroecology"},"content":{"rendered":"

In recent years, practitioners, scientific actors, policymakers \u2014including those from the FAO, the EU, and global forums such as the UN Food System Summit\u2014 as well as many countries, have increasingly promoted the concept of Agroecology<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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\"Agroecology\"
123rf Limited\u00a9carolinajc. Buenos Aires, Argentina<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Agroecology, the new organic?<\/h2>\n

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and representatives of Agroecology (e.g., the global Agroecology Coalition, comprising around 50 countries) have observed a progressive shift in food systems toward Agroecology principles<\/strong>. Although hard numbers are difficult to obtain due to the broad scope of practices, governance models, and social dimensions, the global shift is qualitatively significant and institutionally visible.<\/p>\n

Strong developments are particularly evident in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, with growing momentum in Europe and Asia. Agroecology is applied in agroforestry, mixed crop\u2013livestock systems, marginalized agroecosystems, dryland cereals, and urban and peri-urban agriculture.<\/p>\n

Not certification, but what instead?<\/h2>\n

Organic marketing is well-established, based on regulations, standards, certification, and labeling systems that are widely recognized and trusted. Over the decades, a structured and expanding global market has been built. Agroecology is guided by 10 elements, 13 principles, and 10 \u201cred flags\u201d such as the prohibition of GMOs and highly processed foods.<\/p>\n

Agroecology is not inspected against a standard, but its principles can be evaluated through tools<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

However, it does not rely on conformity assessments, long value chains, formal quality management systems, legal enforcement of claims, or retailer-driven promotion. Agroecology markets, if not using organic claims, primarily rely on direct sales, farmers\u2019 markets, communitysupported agriculture (CSA), and farmto-school programs. In some cases, Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) are used<\/strong>. The agroecology claim is not widely established and works mainly where producers and consumers maintain direct, trust-based relationships.<\/p>\n

Agroecology is not inspected against a standard, but its principles can be evaluated through tools, notably FAO\u2019s TAPE and Biovision\u2019s FACT\/ B-ACT. These tools assess farms, landscapes, projects, and community food systems, etc. Agroecology is oriented toward systemic transitions and continuous improvement, so repeated assessments measure both current performance and progress over time.<\/p>\n

Kilimohai: The Kenyan case<\/h2>\n

In Kenya, the Kilimohai organic label, managed by the Kenyan Organic Agriculture Network (KOAN)<\/strong>, is well established. It uses a green organic label. In 2026, KOAN introduces a blue agroecology label, supported by FiBL. Unlike the green organic Kilimohai, the blue agroecology label is based on self-assessment<\/strong> using the Kenyan Agroecology Assessment Tool (KAAT), which is adapted from the TAPE and ACT. Operators must demonstrate compliance with \u201cred lines\u201d and show progress compared to previous years.<\/p>\n

Author: <\/strong>Markus Arbenz, Organics4Development and FiBL, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, Switzerland<\/p>\n

Published in the BIOFACH 2026 Bio Eco Actual Special Edition.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Bio Eco Actual<\/strong>, International Organic Newspaper
\n Read the BIOFACH 2026 Bio Eco Actual Special Edition<\/a> <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n